FIFA have announced investigations into several teams that are alleged to have fielded ineligible players in qualifiers for the 2014 Men’s World Cup. The claims apply to Equatorial Guinea, Togo, and New Zealand.

The claims against Eq Guinea allege the use of an ineligible player in the 4-3 home win over Cape Verde Is on SUN 24 MAR 2013. FIFA stated that they have already ruled on the matter, but that Eq Guinea are appealing the verdict. Reversal of the result by forfeiture would mean that Cape Verde Is would still have a chance of catching Tunisia in Group B.

Togo are alleged to have played the ineligible man in the 2-0 home win over Cameroon on SUN 09 JUN 2013. If Togo are penalised with a forfeit loss, Cameroon would overtake Libya at the top of Group I.

New Zealand’s ineligible player is alleged to have played in the team’s last qualifier of the OFC final round, a 2-0 away win over the Solomon Is on TUE 26 MAR 2013. New Zealand are already six points clear of New Caledonia, so a forfeiture would not affect the outcome of the group.

In all cases, the offending player has not yet been publicly named. However, in Togo’s case, the official match reports suggest that Alaixys ROMAO was booked against Libya on SUN 03 JUN 2012 and against Cameroon on SAT 23 MAR 2013, which would have ruled him out of the second Cameroon match.